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Followup on MacWorld Boston 2004

Re: Followup on MacWorld Boston 2004

Originally posted by Macrumors


According to the site, Apple may further revamp the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a more of a consumer focus -- possibly providing live web coverage for the developer's conference which is scheduled in late July.
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Late July??? uh...checked at apple's site which says June 28-July 2

apple developer site
 
It's all about the marketing!!

I'll bet that Apple sunk a ton of money into the "The Big Apple event in the Big Apple" posters and now they can't use them which just makes them mad!

Seriously though, without Apple, Macworld just isn't the same (where would MACworld be without the Mac??). I think that Apple is probably upset about the move from New York for several reasons, not the least of which is IDG seems to have this 'we don't need Apple' attitude. I also wouldn't be suprised if Apple was putting pressure on some of the vendors too.

That being said, I think that a Macworld on both coasts with each a half a year apart is a good thing and something that needs to be there, especially now that we have a taste for it. As for the excuse of needing to have something for a Macworld, Apple comes out with plenty of things during the year they could save for expos should they not have anything.

If this Macworld doesn't work out, I think IDG needs to refocus the Macworld events to have several "mini" Macworld events at cities around the country (perhaps world?). A two-day event at some of the major cities could give them almost as much as they would get from a Macworld.
 
Originally posted by mklos
Well its my understanding that IDG runs the whole show and pays the fees for the whole week for the building its in. Apparently the fees got to be too high in NYC so they moved to Boston which Apple said they didn't want to do. Well they went ahead and did it anyways. NYC is a much larger market for Apple and you have to believe thats why Apple wanted to stay in NYC.
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Yeah, and now Apple has NOTHING on the East coast. I'm a longtime user and Apple Developer and I can't go to California for ALL the stuff! Apple needs some sort of East Coast presence.
 
It's not the location

Like someone alluded to earlier...I really don't think Boston is as much of an issue as its being made out to be.

Apple has stated publicly that they want to get away from Macworlds dictating their product launches. And who can blame them for that? It makes perfect sense...let them launch products on their own schedule.

Doesn't everyone remember all of the moaning and groaning about this past Macworld? After all Apple *only* introduced a new gadget (ipod mini), a awesome new app (garageband), an upgrade to iLife, and a G5 XServe!

Further, how many times have you or someone you know said this or something like it, "God, Man! Why isn't the (insert cool new Apple goodie here) out yet?? Thay announced it a month ago!!"

Well, when your product announcements are tied to a specific set of tradeshows and your stock is going to take a hit if you don't chuck something awesome out there, then product delays are a natural byproduct as you heave out everything in the product pipeline to be gawked at.

I think its completely resonable for Apple to duck out of one of these...regardless of where its held. Obviously, the east coast one would be the likely one to go given Apple's ties to the west coast.

I love Macworld to death but if its going to harm Apple's bottom line, then thanks but no thanks.
 
Re: Re: Re: Hmmm...

Originally posted by rdowns
How much could attending cost Apple? Few hundred thousand? Half a million? Not much innovation at that price. A drop in the bucket of theor barrell of cash.
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Figure at least $2M, more if they do anything beyond their basic presence.

A million here, million there, pretty soon you're talking real money, etc.
 
Originally posted by mklos
Well its my understanding that IDG runs the whole show and pays the fees for the whole week for the building its in.
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If you don't think that IDG doesn't get back those fees, and more, in what they charge exhibitors, you're missing the boat.

IDG expects to make a profit on the show, and given the economic conditions of the past couple of years, they need everything they can get, too.
 
timing

isn't the timing of the event a little late in the year for the education market. Doesn't Apple need to start announcing stuff earlier so students can purchase at the start of the school year.
 
Re: Re: Macworld Boston

Originally posted by rdowns
Apple a media darling?

Apparently you missed the past decade of Apple doom and gloom stroies in the media.
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Media Darling

1. Apple products are always in Time and Newsweek. Not to mention getting on the cover every few years

2. PC based magazines like PC World, PC Magazine and Smart Computing are always reviewing and introducing Apple's latest products

3. Wired and CNET love to write about apple

4. Forbes usually runs an article every few months on how Steve Jobs turned around Apple.

5. Apple spends a ton of money on product placement but lots of set decorators and idiot celebrities go with Apple products because of their fashionable look
 
Originally posted by Lepton
Yeah, and now Apple has NOTHING on the East coast. I'm a longtime user and Apple Developer and I can't go to California for ALL the stuff! Apple needs some sort of East Coast presence.
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I don't think most people are thinking about what is going on here.

Remember when steve talked about how many times more people visit the apple stores a week? Something like ten macworlds worth! So...when apple has a product that they want to show, who do you think they wanna show it to, the diehards that will always like apple and visit macworld, or the "millions" that would never attend, but always stroll by thier LOCAL apple store in thier mall?

See the difference?

They can both save money, show many times more people, and launch a product when its perfectly ready, and show it to people that never gave apple a second thought. Think of 100 smaller macworlds at any time of the year, showing off stuff to 100 times more people.

Don't make them come to macworld, make macworld come to them.

P.S You ever notice that whenever a big apple show comes up and MS starts its PR machine to counter apple? With no idea of when apple will release thier big stuff, they become a moving target; harder to counter when you don't know when or where something will happen.
 
This discussion reminds me of MacWorld Tokyo, which was cancelled last year, and not likely to be revived for a foreseeable future. It is not that Apple abandoned that market - quite the contrary, it opened its first oversea store in Ginza, will open a second one, and iTMS will be soon available for them. They understood that Apple simply shifted the focus from attending one splashy 3-day event (mind you, this was the venue they chose to announce the Flower Power and Blue Dalmatian iMacs :) ) to more concrete marketing efforts, and it is paying off. I don't think the event is missed there at all. For Apple, the Ginza store was a much, much better investment for various reasons, even if only breaks even.

For everyone involved, Jobs' keynote is MacWorld Expo, and all the speculation and expectation leading up to each keynote must be burdening for him and Apple. I can't blame them for cutting back. One expo in the US, another one in the EU, and WWDC, and that's enough. Yet they are now accused of "being stubborn." They can't win any support, can they?

BTW, for those who firmly believe the cancellation will feed the Apple pundits crying the death of Mac, I think those people will keep saying what they've been saying even if Apple will magically recapture 100% of computer market share, so let them keep saying it.
 
NYC Bigger Market ?

Does the size of the market really matter ? If it did Macworld would be in LA instead of San Fran. But it isn't, that is because Apple just wants to do what it wants to do...
 
WWDC will not go consumer

WWDC will not become more consumer oriented. Apple is well aware that they need a conference devouted to developers/enterprise customers/content creators. Last year's show proved this direction works and will only be expanded upon. The last thing WWDC needs is sessions on how to use iTunes and fun with iPhoto.

Lets not forget, the age of general computer conferences seems to have already past. My bet is the conferences will become even more focused . MWSF will be the home/general users/creative pro conference. WWDC will be application/enterprise/high-level pros.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Hmmm...

Originally posted by steveh
Figure at least $2M, more if they do anything beyond their basic presence.

A million here, million there, pretty soon you're talking real money, etc.
Click to expand...

Sounds like an awful lot of money for a week long show. Where do you think $2 million would go towards?
 
IDG just give in.

I think IDG just needs to give in to Steve Jobs. He wants it in New York, and he won't show if it isn't. Just move it back to NY.
 
Read the post...

Originally posted by wichard
does anyone know what is up with apple not going to boston??
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I don't meant to sound rude or anything but seriously. Thats what this whole topic is about, the very first message gives background into why. Read THEN post.
 
This is very sad news indeed, since I live in Boston. I am still looking forward to the show this July. For now I will try to remain optimistic, until a definitive announcement is made there is still a possibility.

If Steve doesn't really want to attend MacWorld period, the cancel both the East and West Expos. It does sound like the WWDC is important.
 
Re: Re: Re: Macworld Boston

Originally posted by fooker
Media Darling

3. Wired and CNET love to write about apple
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You've GOT to be kidding me. WTF are you smoking?

CNET *HATES* Apple! They're notorious for posting biased, one-sided crap on how people shouldn't consider Apple and go with "more established" Windoze technology. They're the Fox News of the computing world.

Have a look at these:

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/4194

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/4215

...then tell me that CNET considers Apple a "darling".
 
a couple random thoughts

(1)
boston is a second-tier city. having an expo there says "we can't play with the big boys".

(2)
the IDG guy was hell-bent on moving the expo there for personal reasons. he is the one who has made this a dick-measuring contest, not apple. apple was initially never consented about IDGs plans, and when they were, they said no, and IDG went ahead and tried to move it there anyway.

(3)
the Internet makes biz expos obsolete. everyone here seems to be missing this point. even attendance at macworld SF (apple's backyard) is DOWN. it makes no sense to fly across the country to hear steve jobs say "we have new powerbooks" when you can watch a satellite broadcast, and you can email all of your colleagues anyway. the people bitching about this are the people who want to get free travel, and free meals.

(4)
apple has almost 70 stores (that is their goal by year end). they reach about 10x the people an expo in any city (even NY or LA) would reach. apple can stream the keynotes there, and have 70 expos at once.

so, why even bother with this crap anymore?

personally, i think that is apple's real motivation. i think they want out of NY, too. i think they are keeping the SF one (for now) because it is like their hometown event, but i'd not be surprised to see that gone within 5 years.
 
Apple must attend MacWorld Boston!

Even if Apple does not like Boston they should not ignore the vast number of Mac customers on the East coast. MacWorld Boston is a great low cost venue to showcase Panther, Xserve and XRAID to education, publishing, biotech and video customers. If Apple is not there it will send a negative message to the industry that the Macintosh market is weak and getting even smaller. Customers will wonder if Apple is turning into an entertainment only company and bailing out of the computer industry. Apple has great products for the enterprise and it would be very sad for the Mac community if they are not showcased to the right people at an East coast show. IT departments (Mac and PC) are taking a hard look at the Xserve solution right now and Apple would be foolish not to market the product any chance they get. If Donald Trump was CEO of Apple he would not ignore Boston. =)

The Applestore is comsumer level. Expos are for pros.
http://www.webscience.com/dc/images/mwpics/brobin1.jpg
 
Re: Apple must attend MacWorld Boston!

Originally posted by IONLYUSEOSX
Even if Apple does not like Boston they should not ignore the vast number of Mac customers on the East coast. MacWorld Boston is a great low cost venue to showcase Panther, Xserve and XRAID to education, publishing, biotech and video customers. If Apple is not there it will send a negative message to the industry that the Macintosh market is weak and getting even smaller. Customers will wonder if Apple is turning into an entertainment only company and bailing out of the computer industry. Apple has great products for the enterprise and it would be very sad for the Mac community if they are not showcased to the right people at an East coast show. IT departments (Mac and PC) are taking a hard look at the Xserve solution right now and Apple would be foolish not to market the product any chance they get. If Donald Trump was CEO of Apple he would not ignore Boston. =)

The Applestore is comsumer level. Expos are for pros.
http://www.webscience.com/dc/images/mwpics/brobin1.jpg
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If Donald Trump were CEO of Apple, we'd be running Intel and Windows.
 
I would like to see a transition to smaller and more specialized one or two day conferences for professional Mac users in specific fields. I envision hundreds of small conferences in many cities worldwide. How many are there now I wonder?

Use just a hotel instead of a convention center. Apple stores are okay for viewing a streamed presentation but are not adequate as a meeting place. A tiny presence by Apple could record parts of the conference and later stream it to the Apple stores from an Apple server. That way huge bandwidth wouldn't be needed at the conference hall in the hotel.

Of course Steve Jobs could make a surprise appearance at any one of these and be welcomed. He might even decide to make an announcement of some kind.
:)
 
Re: a couple random thoughts

Originally posted by suzerain
(1)
boston is a second-tier city. having an expo there says "we can't play with the big boys".
Click to expand...

The DNC certainly doesn't consider Boston to be a second tier city. Just think if Steve came for MacWorld, then he could also attend the convention.

I agree that he needs to make a appearance on the East Coast. The media coverage is priceless. This will be the first group to open the new convention center. truly a once in a life time opportunity for this historic opportunity.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Hmmm...

Originally posted by rdowns
Sounds like an awful lot of money for a week long show. Where do you think $2 million would go towards?
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And the $2 million may be a low figure - considering all the people, hotel bills, transportation, union graft, etc.

Twenty years ago, I wanted to get a copy of BSD2 for a PDP-11. The BSD folks refused to sell it to me since I didn't have a Unix source license, which cost $20,000. They said, "you have a business, that's not a lot of money."

People, before you EVER use phrases like 'that's not a lot of money for a business', try being self-employed for a while. It will radically change your perspective. It certainly changed mine.

For one thing, I'd never, ever say "that's not a lot of money for Apple" or anyone else.

Businesses cannot throw around money like it was water, no matter how much they have.
 
The DNC certainly doesn't consider Boston to be a second tier city. Just think if Steve came for MacWorld, then he could also attend the convention.
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Well, I live in Boston, and it's a second-tier city. Boston's selection as the host city for the DNC doesn't have anything to do with Boston being "first-tier". Also, if Steve Jobs came to the Mac expo in Boston, I doubt he'd hang around for a month just to see the Democrats at their convention.

If Steve Jobs is going to attend an expo on the East Coast then he's also going to want easy access to live network news interviews where he can tout Apple's new stuff without his competitors butting in. CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, etc all provide the opportunity to pop-in for live interviews that will directly reach consumers who are the target market for those products.

Boston is second-tier, and that's a hard pilll for many aloof Bostonians to swallow.
 
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